Horn button



Aug. 25, 1925,.

C. i... GUYMAN norm BUTTQN Filed Nov. 2, 19

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6 L 60 rpm/v 5) WI M55555 HTTYLZ Passin 25, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT series.

CLARENCE LEIVIUEL GUYIvIAN, 0E TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNUR T0 GENERAL "MOTQES CORPORATION, OF DETROET, DEICZ ETIGAN, A GORPGRATIGN OF DELI-WARE.

HORN BUTTGN.

Application filed November 2, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE L. GUY- MAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Horn Button, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip tion.

This invention relates t improvements in horn buttons, and more particularly to devices of this character designed for use on automobiles, an object of the invention being to provide a simple and etlicient construction of horn button located at the center of the steering wheel without any wiring connections leading to non-moving parts.

A further object is to provide a device of the character described, which can be manu factured and sold at a reasonably low price, which can be conveniently assembled, and which will be economical in the labor cost of assemblage.

A further object is to permit the location of the button on top of the wheel in connection with the solid steering post. The conventional design with the button on top of the wheel requires that the steering post he of tubing which is much more costly. Also one of the features of my improvement is, that the-steering post nut serves to lock the fingers of the wire into the button so that I may eventually not need to use spring tension in the wire.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations, and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section illustrating my invention.

Figure 2 is a view in transverse section on the line 2-2, of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in transverse section on the line 3-3, of Figure 1.

1 represents the steering column, 2 the steering post and 3 the steering wheel of an automobile. On the upper end of the post 2 a nut 41- is provided which serves to secure the steering Wheel to the post and above this nut 42, and upper end of the post 2, I

Serial No. 598,867.

locate my improved horn button 5. This button is of general inverted cup shape having in its top a hollow lug (3 receiving the upper end of a coiled spring 1" which is inserted between the nut l and the button 5, and functions to hold the button in its normal elevated position.

The button carries a contact member 8 which comprises spring wire preferably of steel, which is coiled intermediate its ends and located around the post 2 and normally spaced from a fixed contact 9 on the colunm 1. This member 8 is formed with two relatively parallel arms or rods 10, 10, which have a tension outward and at their upper free ends are formed with fingers 11, 11. lhe fingers 11 are positioned in sockets or openings 12 in opposite sides of the button 6, and said button is provided with longitudinal tapering grooves 13 extending from the lower end of the button upwardly into the sockets or openings 12 so that when the button is pressed downwardly on the fingers 11 the latter will ride through the grooves 13 and he guided thereby into position to spring outwardly into the sockets or openings 12.

The fixed contact 9 is in the form of a plug which projects through an insulating ring 14 in column 1 and the binding post 15 on said contact, is provided with a nut 16 to clamp an electric terminal 17 thereto. This terminal forms a part of a wire or conduetor 18 leading to the horn, and it is to be understood that the contact 8 is grounded so that when the contacts 8 and 9 are together the circuit is closed to sound the horn.

By reason of the construction above described, the assemblage can be conveniently made as but a single fined contact 9 is employed, and a single opening need be pro vided in the column 1 to accommodate the same.

The spring 7 normally holds the contacts apart, and when it is desired to sound the horn it is simply necessary to exert downward pressure on the button 5 bringing the contact 8 into engagement with contact 9.

Various slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider my- Self at liberty to make such changes and ulterntions as fairly fell within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A mechanism of the character described comprising a steering column, s steering post therein, and n steering wheel upon the upper end of said post, at lined contact projecting through the column, a inovnble contact comprising u coil encircling the post and having; upwardly extending; and outwardly tensio'ued urnis extending through the steering wheel, :1 hollow up-shaped hutton coupled to the arms by reason of the outward tension thereof, :1 spring inside suid button and acting between the upper end of said steering post and the top well of said buttoln said button having sockets in opposite sides thereof, and longitudinally tepered 'rooves extending from the lower end thereoI upwardly and communicating with said sockets, and outwardly projecting lingers on the free ends of said arms the extremities ot which ure movable through the e'rooYes aforesaid to guide the fingers into the sockets.

2. A mechanism of the character described con'iprising' a steering column, a steering post therein, and :1 steering wheel upon the iu iper end of said post, it fixed contact nojecting through the column, :1 inevable contact comprisinge coil. encircling the post and hnving upwardly extending and outwardly tensioncd urnis extei'iding through the steering wheel, a hollow cup-shnped button coupled to the rms by reason of the outward tension thereof, a spring inside said button and acting between the upper end of szii d steerir post and the top "all of suid buttoin said button having sockets in opposite sides thereof outwardly projecting;- linon the free ends of said arms, and nieuns inside seid button for guiding said lingers into said sockets as the parts are asseinbled.

CLAREN E lLEIdUEL GUYhfiAN. 

